Volunteers make clean sweep

Township fetes litter program.

By: Joseph Harvie
   The final bags have been collected, counted and weighed. Those who pitched in were given T-shirts and a party at Reichler Park on Sunday.
   The township’s annual Earth Day cleanup was has ended and township Recycling Coordinator Nancy Paquette is calling it a success.
   Every April, residents and businesses in town collect garbage from the side of township roads in commemoration of Earth Day and Arbor Day, which were celebrated nationally on April 22 and April 29 respectively.
   This year, 535 volunteers picked up 411 bags of trash in 50 locations around South Brunswick from April 1 to May 1, said Ms. Paquette. She said 6.78 tons of trash were collected from township roadways.
   Last year during the cleanup, residents scoured 64 locations in the township and collected 541 bags of trash. Ms. Paquette said that rainy weekends this spring probably resulted in less garbage being collected, but she said despite less bags being collected, she was happy with the results.
   Ms. Paquette said although fewer bags were collected this year, she was still happy that people were able to help make South Brunswick a little cleaner.
   "It was not as many as in previous years, and I always try to see an increase in the number of bags collected, but I am proud of the people who went out and did the cleanup," Ms. Paquette said. "Every bit helps."
   The cleanup concluded Sunday at noon at the party at Reichler Park. Volunteers danced, ate hog dogs and helped plant a 6-foot Katsura tree.
   "It is a tree that originates in Japan and it is on our approved street tree list," said Diane Leonard, chairperson of the Shade Tree Commission. "It is a medium-sized tree and it is a nice yellow or apricot color in the fall. It is not prey to many pests in the area. The reason we picked that tree is we are trying to plant examples of trees on our street tree list."
   Ms. Leonard said the tree was donated by Crossroads Nursery on Georges Road and could grow to be about 40 feet tall.
   Ms. Leonard also said the township has been named Tree City USA for the 14th consecutive year by the National Arbor Day Foundation. She said that in order to get this designation, the township needs to have a Shade Tree Commission, a shade tree ordinance, an Arbor Day celebration and spend a certain amount per capita to plant and maintain trees in the township.
   Ms. Leonard said residents can still sign up to have a free shade tree planted in front of their homes by an independent contractor hired by the shade tree commission. Trees must be planted within 10 to 20 feet of the street.
   Ms. Leonard said last year the commission planted 54 trees, which cost the township about $10,000.
   Application forms for the street trees are located in the Municipal Building and the library. The forms must be completed and handed in before Aug. 15.